Oxford Dictionary of English

Rating:
Summary: THE single volume English dictionary
Review: Precise, comprehensive, meticulous, rich: for extent and scope - the only single volume dictionary of English to own (namely, for those seeking a non-American English dictionary (in practice, a non-Merriam-Webster work)).

Editors Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson have revised and updated the pioneering work of Judy Pearsall (Editor) and Patrick Hanks (Chief Editor, Current English Dictionaries) who led production of the outstanding `The New Oxford Dictionary of English' in 1998.

This revision builds upon that body of work - adding 3,000 fresh words, senses and phrases. The editors and their team drew upon a new 100 million word Oxford English corpus. As with the 1998 dictionary, it focuses its definitions on current usage.

What gives this indispensable breadth and depth is its layout of core senses and subsenses within each definition and the provision of word history: etymology (word origin) and morphology (word form) as well as reference to development of both sense and form.

This provides a rich reference work that would strengthen anyone's vocabulary and sharpen accuracy of expression.

This edition also adds usage guidance where prudent and includes new Appendices: a very useful `Guide to Good English' and encyclopaedia like information (including: countries and their capitals; weights & measures; punctuation marks; alphabets; the chemical elements; data on the solar system; proofreading marks; Prime Ministers and Presidents; Internet Forum & Chatroom keystroke emoticons :~) and shorthand (`FYI' etc); collective nouns; and even categories of wind forces!).

While it might retain the typical dryness and staidness of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), this volume surely sets a global standard for single volume works (cf. Merriam-Webster). The OED might occasionally omit some shades of meaning in current usage and be slow to take up new words due to its staff being too academic by nature and out of touch.

Surely as a living language flows through everyday life, such dictionaries help fight the mudslides?

Its sibling Thesaurus is equally worthwhile, having also undergone useful revision and improvement.